Rear Admiral Mat Winter, a 1984 graduate of the University of Notre Dame with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, received his commission through the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps and was designated a naval flight officer in 1985.

Winter’s acquisition tours include assistant deputy program manager (DPM) for the Joint Standoff Weapon System; executive assistant to the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program director; chief engineer for JSF Integrated Flight and Propulsion Control; DPM for the Tactical Tomahawk All-Up-Round development program; chief of staff to the Program Executive Officer (PEO) for Tactical Aircraft Programs; and his major acquisition command tour as the Precision Strike Weapons (PMA-201) program manager.

Winter has served flag tours as the commander, Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division, China Lake/Point Mugu, CA, assistant commander for Test and Evaluation, Naval Air Systems Command and PEO for Unmanned Aviation and Strike Weapons. In December 2014, he became the 25th Chief of Naval Research with concurrent flag responsibilities as Director, Innovation Technology Requirements, and Test & Evaluation.

Winter holds a master's degree in computer science from the Naval Postgraduate School and another in national resource strategy from National Defense University’s Industrial College of the Armed Forces; and a Level III certification in Program Management and Test & Evaluation from the Defense System Management College.